Toy submarine



Aug. 27, 1940. w. o. YANCEY TOY SUBMARINE Filed Jan. 15, i940 INVENTOR vQM.

5 ya am m 0.Y mB m fl w Patented Aug. 27, 1940 carries stares eA'rENT orsics 9 Claims.

This invention relates to toy submarines, and more particularly to that type of toy submarine which uses generated gas as an actuating means as in the case of my previous Patent No. 1,351,531, over which the present invention constitutes an improvement. The primary object of the invention is to provide a simplified toy of this type which is capable of improved and novel forms of operation. Gther objects and advantages will be apparent from the following specification of an embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig, 1 is a side elevation of a toy of the inention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a side view partly in section; and

Fig. i is a central vertical section thereof.

The toy comprises essentially a hull iii; a hollow superstructure i2; a periscope structure it; and a combined weight and cartridge structure it. The hull it is generally cigar shaped but substantially semi-circular in cross section, and entirely open at its bottom and the upper shell portion thereof is formed with a pair of water passage openings 58 at opposite side and end portions thereof. Midway of the top of the hull shell is an opening it which is embraced by the hollow superstructure 52 as a closure therefor, thus forming a gas collecting chamber 22. Mounted on the superstructure i2 is the periscope structure it which is provided with a bore 2 1 communicating with the chamber 22; and at an outer side wall portion thereof the periscope structure is formed into a flat valve face 2%. A gas escape opening 28 through the valve face portion of the periscope wall provides open com-- munication between the outside and the bore An outwardly extending valve movement limiting 40 abutment is provided at the uppermost extremity of the valve face portion or the periscope structure.

A valve arm is pivotally mountedat one end by means of a pin upon a pair of bosses 3% which extend from the superstructure ii. The valve arm 36 is formed at its free end with an enlarged vane portion 38, and the mounting of the valve is such that an intermediate arm portion thereof is slidably engaged with the fiat valve face portion 26 of the periscope. The valve arm 3% is so shaped that when the valve is down (as shown in solid lines in Fig. l.) the vent opening 28 is exposed; and when the valve arm 36 is up (as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1) the vent opening 28 is closed.

The bottom edges Mi of the hull H! are slightly turned in for clampingly supporting the combined weight and cartridge structure it (Fig. 4) The structure it comprises a weighted cup-like cartridge holder 62 from which extend resilient finger like clips Mi for engaging the inturned edges 4% of the hull. Detachably mounted in the holder 32 is a chemical containing cartridge it in the form of a hollow shell and provided with a series of openings it around its periphery for allowing water to move from the interior of the hull into the interior of the cartridge and into contact with a gas generating chemical charge 50 which is previously disposed therein. The charge 56 may be composed of a mixture of bicarbonate of soda and tartaric acid or any other suitable material that will react with water to produce gas. 7

The boat and its essential elements is so designed that the total actual weight thereof exceeds the Weight of water normally displaced when submerged. In operating the boat, the charge of gas producing chemical is first'placed in the container 45 which is then capped with the weighted holder 42, and the combined unit it is then clipped into the hull ill as shown in Fig. 4. The boat is then placed on the surface of a body of water, and inasmuch as its weight exceeds the buoyancy effect of the water it gradually sinks and the hull iii and the chamber 22 fill with water, the air therein escaping through the openings i8 and the vent 28. During this submerging process the drag of the waterupon the valve button 38 causes the valve arm 36 to raise and to assume the broken line position in Fig. 1, thus closing the vent opening 28. By this time water will have reached the chemical 56 through the holes 68 and the generation of gas commences. The gas rises into the chamber 22, gradually forcing the water therefrom. After a certain amount of water has been forced from the chamber 22 the weight of water displaced by the boat exceeds the weight of the boat, with the result that the boat begins to rise. This rising action causes a downward dynamic pressure to be exerted against the valve button 38, and the valve arm 38 is forced down and the-vent 28 is uncovered. Consequently, the gas which has accumulated in the chamber 22 is now free to escape through the opening 28 which is formed of such size that the gas may escape faster than it is generated. Therefore, the buoyancy effect decreases until the boat commences to sink again; and the above described actions are repeated continuously until the chemical charge 58 is exhausted.

The cartridge structure !5 is readily shiftable along the edges id of the hull longitudinally thereof to regulate the position of center of gravity of the boat in any desired manner. Thus, provision can be made for keeping the boat on an even keel; or the boat can be thus caused to assume inclined attitudes and to dive or climb while gliding through the water during sinking or rising maneuvers in realistic imitation of the movements of a real submarine. The hull it, being generally in typical submarine-like form in outline but open at the bottom and formed with diametrically opposed openings iii in the wall thereof, presents in plan view (Fig. 2) a propeller-like form which reacts to either upward or downward movements of the boat to cause it to rotate about a vertical intermediate axis. This effect is obtained by reason of the r t of the sloping hull Wall portions 2) and as the boat alternately s simultaneously t' .s about a ver 5 furthering the effects of imitation of increments of real submarine.

Thus, it will be pparent that he primary toy operation will co, e alternate rising and sinking moven ion are automatically controlled by the d namic pressure-responsive valve arm 35, and that these vertical movements will be accompanied by development of forces tending to prod co coincidental rotating l O'c the submarine about a central vertical axis in alternate opposite directions. Because of the c the various dynamic t rine vary out of propon tion to changes in r; to of relative movement, it will be seen that a great variety of results will obtain, and in action the toy appears to move most realistically in the manner of a manuaily controlicd submarine. As explained hereinabove, in order to multiply the varieties of CL'CCiZS, the weight member it may be adjusted longitudinally of the toy to shift the center of gravity thereof, as may be desired.

It will be understood that the size of the charge of chemical 59 may be regulated as desired within the capacity of the cartridge 4.6 to provide for various periods of operation. It will also be understood that the proportioning and rela" e arrangement of the structure and of the operating parts thereof may be varied to obtain modified operating results, and that the parts may be formed of a great variety of different materials within the concept of the invention so long the features of operation as hereinabove described are obtained. It will also be understood that the features of the invention described hereinabove may be employed in combination with any suitable form of propulsion means which are adapted to propel the boat in hori' ontal directions.

Although only one form of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited but that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of thc appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a toy submarine adapted to be supported by a fluid body, the combination of a chemical container and a gas accumulating chamber disposed above said container, means for introducing fluid into the interior of said container. a

gas outlet port through a wall portion of said chamber, and a port control member movably mounted upon said toy and responsive to dynamic fluid pressure forces imposed thereon as the results of vertical movements of said toy in opposite directions through the toy supporting fluid body to move to port-opened and portclosed positions.

2. In a toy submarine adapted to be supported by a fluid body, the combination of a chemical container and a gas accumulating chamber disposed above said container, means for introducing fluid into the interior of said container, a gas outlet port through a wall portion of said chamber, and a port control member pivotally mounted upon said toy and responsive to dynamic fluid pressure forces imposed thereon as the results of upward and downward movements of said toy through said toy supporting fluid body to move to port-opened and port-closed positions, respectively.

3. In a toy submarine adapted to be supported by a fluid body, the combination of a chemical container and a gas accumulating chamber disposed abo c said container, means for introducing into the in erior of said container, a gas outlet port through a wall portion of said cha l" her, a port cc trol member pivotaily mounted upon said toy and having an extending vane portion respon' ve to dynamic fluid pressure forces imposed thereon as the results of upward and downward movements of said toy through said toy supporting iiuid body to move said control member to port-opened and port-closed positions, respectively.

4. In a toy submarine, the combination of a hull having a water admitting opening, a gas accumulating chamber communicating with and disposed above said hull, a chemical container mounted within said hull below said chamber, a gas escape port through a wall portion of said chamber, and a valve member for controlling escape of gas through said port, said valve member being responsive to dynamic pressure forces imposed thereon as the results of vertical movements of the submarine in relation to the supporting body of water.

5. In a toy submarine, the combination of a hull having a water admitting opening, a gas accumulating chamber communicating with and disposed above said hull, a chemical container mounted within said hull below said chamber, a gas escape port through a wall portion of said chamber, and a valve member for controlling escape of gas through said port, said valve member being responsive to dynamic pressure forces imposed thereon as the results of vertical move ments of the submarine in relation to the supporting body of water, said chemical container being longitudinally adjustable within said hull for shifting the center of gravity of said toy.

6. In a toy submarine, a substantially cigar shaped hull having a substantially open bottom and a pair of diametrically opposed fluid passage openings through the upper Wall portion of said hull at opposite side and end portions thereof whereby the closed upper wall portions thereof provide a substantially fan-like structure adapted to respond to vertical movements of the submarine relative to the supporting body of fluid by imposing rotational movements to said submarine about an intermediate vertical axis.

7. In a toy submarine, a substantially cigar shaped hull having a substantially open bottom and a pair of diametrically opposed water passage openings through the upper wall portion of said hull at opposite side and end portions thereof whereby the closed upper wall portions thereof provide a substantially fan-like structure adapted to respond to vertical movements of the submarine relative to the supporting body of water by imposing rotational movements to said submarine about an intermediate vertical axis, a chemical container mounted interiorly of said hull, a closed-top gas accumulating chamber disposed above said container, means for introducing water from the interior of said hull into the interior of said container, a gas outlet port through a wall portion of said chamber, and a port control member movably mounted upon said toy and responsive to dynamic fluid pressure forces imposed thereon as the results of upward and downward movements of said toy through the toy supporting body of water to move to port-opened and port-closed positions, respectively.

8. In a toy submarine, a substantially cigarshaped hull having a substantially open bottom and a pair of diametrically opposed water passage openings through the upper wall portion of said hull at opposite side and end portions thereof whereby the closed upper wall portions thereof provide a substantially Ian-like structure adapted to respond to vertical movements of the submarine relative to the supporting body of water by imposing rotational movements to said submarine about an intermediate vertical axis, a chemical container mounted interiorly of said hull, a closed-top gas accumulating chamber disposed above said container, means for introducing said hull for shifting the center of gravity of said toy.

9. In a toy submarine, the combination of a hull in the form of a shell of typical submarinelike form in outline but having the bottom thereof substantially open and the top thereof formed with a pair of diametrically opposed water passage openings at opposite side and end portions thereof, a closed-top gas accumulating chamber extending upwardly from a central portion of said hull and simulating a typical submarine conning tower, a chemical container mounted within said hull below said chamber, a gas conduit member in open communication with and extending upwardly from said gas accumulating chamber and simulating a typical submarine periscope, a gas outlet port through a side wall portion of said conduit, and a gas outlet port control member movably mounted upon said toy and responsive to vertical rising and sinking movements of the submarine through the supporting fluid medium to move to port-open and port-closed positions, re- 

